


On Call

by enigmaticblue, Stayawhile



Category: Eureka
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-23
Updated: 2010-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-13 08:31:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/135246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stayawhile/pseuds/Stayawhile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack takes control of the situation.  Nathan doesn't mind at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Call

"I'm on call," Jack said a little desperately as Nathan shoved him up against the bars of the cell.

"I don't care." If Jack hadn't been aroused before, Nathan's low growl would have done the trick. "We're alone. For the first time in over a week."

Sometimes he thought he could get off just listening to Nathan talk. Then again, as horny as he'd been recently, he could get off just thinking about Nathan. And had, in the shower just that morning. Which hadn't kept his erection from recurring on and off all day.

Nathan was right, though. This was the first time in a week they'd been alone, and Jack found that he didn't care that the station door was unlocked; anyone could walk in.

Nathan pressed against Jack, bending his head into a fierce, hungry kiss, pushing his body against the other man, feeling the evidence of Jack's arousal hard against his thigh. Exploring Jack's mouth with his tongue, tasting and savoring, he moved his hands down Jack's sides, wondering if the sheriff realized how much the uniform turned him on. The leather of the gun belt under his fingers sent a jolt through him.

His hand moved down toward Jack's erection, but on the way met the cold metal of his handcuffs, and his hips twitched uncontrollably. Jack grabbed the hair at the back of his neck, winding his fingers through the curls to pull him closer. He groaned, images from one of his favorite fantasies returning, the forceful, controlling Jack who would take him and take what he wanted.

Both of them were too engrossed in each other to hear the sound of footsteps, or muffled laughter.

Jo couldn't help staring when she entered the station. If she'd had a list of things she never expected to see, Nathan Stark and Jack Carter making out wouldn't have even made the list--because the idea wouldn't have even crossed her mind.

Stark's hips were jerking with the sort of desperate intensity that indicated a long dry spell; Jo knew that from experience. Carter appeared to be matching him. Jo could see that Carter's hands were buried in Stark's hair, fingers mussing his perfect coif.

Jo felt her cheeks flushing as her own arousal grew, and she couldn't hold back the embarrassed laughter that escaped. Stark and Carter were way too into each other to notice, and Jo considered not saying anything, but she needed to let Carter know that she was going off duty.

Clearing her throat loudly, Jo waited. When that didn't break the moment, Jo said loudly, "Carter! I'm going off duty."

Jack and Nathan jumped apart, hurriedly straightening disarranged clothing as though they could pretend they hadn't been dry humping a second before. "Uh, yeah. Thanks for letting me know." Jack gave her a nervous grin.

Jo raised an eyebrow. "Anything you want to tell me, Carter?"

He shared a look with Stark, and they both shook their heads. "No. Everything's fine."

Stark was already drifting back towards Jack, and Jo knew exactly what they were going to be doing as soon as she left.

Jo grinned at the thought. Maybe instead of finding a cold shower, she'd just drag Zane away from his work; he needed a night off, too. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, great." Carter sounded a little strangled, and even though Jo would have loved to torture both of them more, she had a boyfriend to find.

"I'll lock the door behind me," she called out, trying to keep the giggle from her voice. The image of Stark and Carter's passionate embrace stayed in her mind throughout the short drive to Zane's house, and she decided not to worry about why it was such a turn-on. She had always preferred action to contemplation.

Zane barely managed to get the words "Hey, Jo" out of his mouth before she stopped him with a kiss. As far as she was concerned, it was no time for conversation.

Kicking the door shut behind her, she pushed him back toward the couch, meeting no resistance, only muffled noises of pleased surprise. Before long she was lying on top of him, one hand moving under his shirt, the other ruffling his curls, lips locked and tongues entwined.

Eventually Jo paused for breath. She lay her head down on Zane's chest, listening to his shallow breathing, the rapid beat of his heart. His slow chuckle vibrated under her ear.

"Definitely not complaining, but I didn't expect to see you tonight. What brought this on?"

"Don't ask." She reached down and gave him a squeeze designed to divert the blood from his brain. It was highly effective. "Bed," she said.

"Bed," he gasped, and followed her up the stairs. Making Jo happy was its own reward.

 

  
Jack ran his hands through his hair. "I'm on call, Nathan."

"So, you're on call," Nathan agreed. "That just means you have to answer any calls that come in."

The rational part of Jack's brain told him he should kick Nathan out and go back to his paperwork. The rational part of his brain was apparently on vacation, because what he actually did was to lock the door to the station and shut off the lights.

He could see Nathan's teeth gleam in the dim light that filtered through the windows from the street lamps outside.

"The cell has a bed," Jack explained, stalking towards Nathan with predatory intent.

"Now you're talking."

Jack was the one to push Nathan up against the cell bars this time, gripping Nathan's head, tongue tangling with Nathan's. Finally, he thought. Finally.

Nathan's hands closed around Jack's waist, and Jack felt Nathan's arousal against his thigh as he pressed forward, eliminating the space between them.

Jack could feel Nathan trying to take control, and he pulled back, grinning. "Do I need to get the cuffs out, Stark?"

Nathan's gaze heated. "I don't know. Do you?"

Jack licked his lips. Now this was getting interesting. Barely a sliver of green showed around Nathan’s pupils before he looked down, his arms suddenly relaxing in Jack’s grip.

“I think maybe I do,” Jack said. “I think you’d like that.”

Nathan’s reply was low and hoarse. “Well, you keep telling me I need to respect your authority as sheriff.”

“Look at me.” Nathan raised his head, and gasped at Jack’s face. It blazed with lust, but no hint of a smile. “Turn around, hands behind your back.” Nathan complied wordlessly, the cool metal of the cuffs and the warmth of Jack’s hands on his wrists spreading heat through his body. At the firm click of the first cuff snapping into place, his focus narrowed until there was only Jack—no, only Sheriff Carter, firmly in control of the situation.

“Turn around now, back against the bars.” Nathan obeyed, as Jack stepped back and smiled. It wasn’t the open, friendly smile he gave the town, but predatory, amused, shark-like. Jack walked into the cell. “ Back up,” he commanded, and Nathan drew in a long breath as the second cuff clicked shut. Nathan leaned forward, realizing that the cuffs were looped around the bars, and closed his eyes, wondering what Jack would do to him next. When he opened them, Jack was standing in front of him, and the smile had turned soft. “I’ll take good care of you, Nathan,” he whispered. “Your safe word is ‘big bang.’”

Nathan bit his lip. “Yes.” Jack stared at him, and shook his head, very slightly. After a pause, Nathan spoke again. “Sir.”

“Very good,” Jack said huskily, as he reached up to loosen the knot and slowly pulled off Nathan’s silk necktie.

Jack toyed with the idea of using the tie as a blindfold, upping the ante even more, but he thought it might be better to ease Nathan into this game. Ease both of them into it, really, since this kink was new territory for them.

Jack let the tie fall to the floor and began slowly unbuttoning Nathan's dress shirt. Nathan hissed as Jack reached his belt, hips jutting forward, seeking the contact that Jack had so far denied him.

"Patience is a virtue," Jack warned him, taking a step back, even though his own arousal was demanding that he touch the other man.

Some unnamed emotion twisted Nathan's mouth, and he said, "Please."

"That's the magic word," Jack agreed, bringing his hands to rest lightly on Nathan's hips. "Fast learner. Now, hold still."

Nathan trembled with the effort it took to do just that, but he managed it, watching Jack hungrily. "Jack--"

"Did I say you could talk?"

Nathan took in a deep, shuddering breath as Jack's hands moved over his chest, tracing the muscles teasingly, moving up to pinch his already erect nipples. As the sheriff moved in to nip at his neck, he desperately wondered if the groan he couldn't hold back counted as talking, and if so, what Jack would do about it.

 

"He's not picking up," Zoe said. "Probably forgot to charge it again." She sighed. "I could call the emergency line, but the last time he got pissy about it. 'If it's not an emergency, it belongs on my personal phone, got it?'" she said, in an unnervingly accurate imitation of her father. "I don't see why he insists on having two phones anyhow."

"Because everything on the official line is automatically recorded?" asked Lukas.

"Really?” She shook her head. “Suddenly I’m really liking the two-phones idea." They had reached the entrance to Cafe Diem, where Pilar, sitting by the window, gave them an enthusiastic wave. "Look, go hang with Pilar. He's supposed to be on call tonight, I'll just walk down to the office." Lukas bent to kiss her. "Okay, five minutes." She watched him fondly as he entered the cafe, then headed down the street, humming.

 

Nathan's shirt had been pushed back off his shoulders, and it was getting harder to hold still as Jack kissed and licked his way down his torso. Knowing that if he moved, Jack would back away, Nathan did his best, eyes closed, hoping he wouldn't come before Jack even got his pants off.

Jack had been on the other side of this game, but not for a very long time. He could feel a familiar tension thrumming in Nathan's muscles, the effort it was taking him to keep still. He was still a little amazed that Nathan “Control Freak” Stark was letting him take total control, and was enjoying it. He grinned as he stepped back, recognizing the almost frantic need in Nathan’s eyes, and moved in for a kiss, kneading the other man’s ass with both hands. The little whimper as he moved away went straight to his libido, but not as much as the louder noise Nathan made when Jack's hands moved to his zipper.

A few minutes later he stood back to admire his handiwork. Nathan's pants were around his ankles, all his lean muscles on display for Jack to touch, fondle, caress, tease. A thin film of sweat shone on washboard abs and long legs, broad, well-muscled shoulders slightly trembling. His cock stood out as if reaching for Jack, who ran his hand ever so lightly up and down its hard length, feeling it twitch in response.

"Tell me what you want, Nathan."

"You. I want to see you, I want to touch you. Need you." Jack smiled again, but did not move, and Nathan hung his head, knowing he was totally at Jack's mercy. This was so much better than his wildest fantasy. "Anything you want, Jack."

Jack stepped back, smiling, and took off his gun belt, setting it carefully on the floor. "It's very hot, seeing you like this," he remarked, and while his tone was conversational, Nathan could hear a tremble in his voice. Jack's eyes never left Nathan's face as he slowly began to unbutton his uniform.

 

The sheriff's office was dark, and the door was locked. "That's weird," Zoe muttered. She pulled out her phone again.

"Hello, Zoe Carter," SARAH said. "Sheriff Carter is not at home. Would you like to leave a message?"

"Hi, SARAH. Do you know where Dad is?"

"Your father is on call tonight. My sensors indicate that his cell phone is in the sheriff’s office."

"Thanks." Zoe closed her phone and looked again at the locked door.

It wasn't like her dad not to answer his phone, and he usually stayed in the office while on call, unless there was an emergency. She debated for a moment, wondering if maybe she should call Jo, who would surely know what her dad was up to.

Zoe stiffened when she heard a guttural shout from inside the sheriff's station, and her heart began pounding. What if there was something really wrong?

She hit the speed dial for Jo's number, muttering, "Come on, Jo. Pick up. Pick up!"

"Lupo." Jo sounded a little out of breath, but Zoe ignored that.

"Jo--"

"Can I call you back?" Jo asked quickly. "Just give me a few minutes."

"Jo, it's dad!" Zoe protested. "He's not answering his cell phone, and the station door is locked."

"I'm sure he's fine." The last word went up half an octave. "Sorry, Zoe, but I really need to call you back."

"Jo!"

Jo wasn't the one to respond, however, and Zoe blushed when she heard Zane's voice on the other end. "Your dad is probably having a good time--just like we were before you called. Talk to you later, Zoe."

There was a very firm click, and Zoe put her phone back in her pocket, hearing another loud moan from inside the sheriff's station. Now that she had some context, she could recognize it for what it was.

"But who?" she wondered aloud, heading back for Cafe Diem and the company of Lucas and Pilar. Between the three of them, she thought they could figure it out.

 

Jack had draped his uniform shirt over the back of his chair, his movements deliberately slow. Nathan watched avidly, something Jack found arousing and just a touch embarrassing. He couldn't remember the last time someone had stared at him like that, like they wanted him so badly they could hardly wait. Pulling his undershirt off over his head, Jack tossed it on top of the uniform shirt, then undid his buckle and the top button of his slacks.

His own erection was straining against the material, but he wasn't quite ready to strip down. Jack wanted to make this last as long as possible. "In a few minutes," Jack began, keeping his voice from cracking with some effort, "I'm going to let you help me with this."

Jack dropped to his knees in front of Nathan, swirling his tongue around the head of Nathan's erect cock and hearing him shout. "But right now, I'm going to have some fun."

 

“What's the matter, Zoe?" Lukas' voice was concerned. "Your face is red."

Pilar chimed in at the same moment. "Did you find your Dad?"

Zoe sat down heavily. "Oh my god, you guys. I think I did. I seriously need a milkshake." She bent her head and banged it gently against the table. "Yeah, he was at the station."

Vince, having seen face as she came in, was already on his way with a large strawberry milkshake. "Everything ok, Zo?" Her face was a brighter pink than the milkshake as she nodded. "Let me know if you need anything else." He exchanged a worried glance with Lukas before returning to the counter.

 

The grin faded from Zane's face. Pissing off Jo at any time was a bad idea, but in the middle of sex was probably more dangerous than usual.

"What is wrong with you? God, I never should have told you!"

On the other hand, Jo's lack of clothing and tousled hair gave her death glares a surprisingly erotic edge. "Look, at least I didn't tell her who it was! She's a big girl, she'll deal. You're the one who keeps telling me Carter needs to let her grow up."

"Moron." Abruptly, she shifted, and then she was on top, glaring down at him. He grinned, and she smiled slowly and began to rock back and forth, muscled gripping him tight in all the right places. "Idiot. Dolt."

"Talk dirty to me, baby," he murmured, hips moving. Within a moment, the Carter family's problems were the last thing on their minds.

 

The feeling of Jack's mouth on his cock completed the shutdown of Nathan Stark's brain. His fists clenched in their restraints, his hips bucked uncontrollably as Jack licked him up and down, one hand squeezed tight around the base of his cock. A low, rough whine left his mouth as Jack paused long enough to say, "I'll let you know when I want you to come."

Jack reveled in the moment. Nathan Stark was his to play with, his to command, and the scientist's eager submission to his will was an incredibly erotic high. The stiff hot length of Nathan as he took him fully into his mouth made him harder than he had thought possible, and he gave his full attention to pleasing his lover. Nathan gasped and let out another cry as Jack used his other hand to cup and fondle his balls, one finger reaching teasingly behind them. The scientist's body stiffened, and Jack took his mouth away, grasped Nathan's erection tight in his fist, and said, "Now."

Nathan came on command all over Jack's hand and sagged against the bars. Jack held him up with his free hand, rising to his feet, feeling his knees pop and creak. He was getting a little too old for kneeling on bare tile floors. His own erection throbbed, but he kept his focus on Nathan, reaching up with his clean hand to stroke the dark curls fondly. "How are you doing?"

Nathan's inarticulate grunt caused Jack to grin smugly. "Hang on a second."

Jack fished the key to the cuffs out of his pocket and quickly freed Nathan, tucking the key and the cuffs away. He left Nathan leaning against the cell door as he grabbed his undershirt to wipe off his hand, folding it over and taking a moment to clean Nathan up as well.

"Jack." Nathan's hands framed his face, and the kiss they shared was tender. "My turn."

Jack allowed Nathan to nudge him backwards, through the cell door, until the backs of his knees hit the bed. Nathan began kissing his way down Jack's chest, pausing to pay close attention to his already-erect nipples. Jack groaned, his hips jerking, and he hissed as Nathan's hand inched under the waistband of his boxers to grip Jack's erection.

“Ohhh, Nathan…." Jack was already so aroused, he wasn't sure how long he could last.

 

"So, your dad is seeing someone, but you don't know who it is," Pilar summed up when Zoe had finished his explanation. She put it a lot more delicately than Zoe had.

Zoe nodded. "Pretty much."

"Do you want to know?" Lucas asked, slurping at his own milkshake.

 

Nathan gently pushed Jack until he was lying on his back. The game was over, and now all he wanted to do was to give back all the pleasure he had received, and more. Kneeling beside the cot, he sat back to admire Jack’s firm chest and broad shoulders, while his hands were busy unbuckling and unzippering. Jack stroked his cheek affectionately, and Nathan turned his head to kiss his hand. Their breathing was the only sound as Jack lifted his hips to let Nathan finish undressing him. A different sort of intensity arose between them.

“Oh, Jack,” he murmured as he lay a trail of kisses down the faint line of hair from Jack’s navel to his erection. Jack let out a groan as his lover’s lips reached their target, and a moist tongue swirled around his cock. Nathan was soon devouring him, and even a desperate effort to remember the lineup of the 1986 Red Sox World Series team couldn’t keep him from coming with a guttural shout. Every muscle in his body seemed to be orgasming at once as Nathan swallowed, and Jack nearly blacked out, returning to himself to find Nathan looking at him, a huge grin on his face. Jack pulled the larger man close, and understanding, Nathan moved to lie beside and almost on top of him, the narrow cot creaking alarmingly under their combined weight.

 

“My guess is that it’s Allison, he’s had a thing for her pretty much since we got here.” Lukas and Pilar both unconsciously glanced to the side, and Zoe followed their gazes to a corner table, where Allison was twirling pasta on her fork, a book in her other hand. “Or, maybe not.”

“So who else is he interested in? Or who’s interested in him?” Pilar asked, her eyes bright.

Zoe shook her head. “No clue. They’d have to be more than just interested to get my dad to have sex at his office, and oh, god, I can’t believe we’re even talking about this, much less that it’s happening.”

Lukas looked at her. More and more often, they didn’t need to speak to communicate. After a moment, she nodded slowly. “Yeah, I do want to know.”

“Then we find a spot, and wait for whoever it is to come out,” he said.

“Besides,” Pilar added, “you still need to ask him if you can stay over tonight.”

 

"I need to get dressed." Jack whispered, even though there was no one who could hear them.

Nathan's grip tightened in response. "Why?"

"For the third time, I'm on call." Jack brushed his lips over Nathan's, not truly annoyed. He'd appreciated the break, but duty called.

Nathan returned his kiss, deepening it, his tongue tangling with Jack's, nipping at Jack's lower lip. "Yeah. But we'll pick this up later?"

"Tomorrow," Jack confirmed. "Jo's on call, and Zoe has a big project due.

Nathan's hand caressed Jack's chest and side. "My place?" 

"Sounds good." Jack nudged the other man, and they both stood slowly. Jack pulled a clean undershirt out of one of the filing cabinets, grinning when he saw Nathan's raised eyebrow. "I learned my lesson awhile ago. This job is fairly hard on clothes."  Nathan buttoned his shirt slowly, then draped his tie around his neck. "Are you hungry?"  

"Hungry?" Jack's growling stomach answered the question for him. "I could eat."  

"Meet you at Cafe Diem in about fifteen?" Nathan suggested. "You can eat while you're on call, can't you?"  

"I think I just proved that." Jack pulled Nathan's head down for one last kiss. "Fifteen minutes."   

 

Zoe wished they'd found a better place to hide, but all the stores across from the Cafe were closed, and there weren't any convenient nooks or crannies that would conceal three teenagers. She really hoped that when her dad finally emerged, he would just think she was loitering with her friends.  She gaped in shock when she saw Dr. Stark step through the door, tie loose around his neck, hair even more mussed than usual. Next to her, Lucas gave a low whistle. "Holy shit."  Unfortunately, that alerted Dr. Stark to their presence, and he treated the three of them to a hard look. 

 

Lukas. Zoe. And Pilar. Nathan wanted to bang his head against the nearest wall. He'd given them his best death glare, the one that made Fargo squeak, but he was pretty sure it would take more than that to keep them quiet. Bribery, maybe. He did have the final say over Global internships.

He didn't want to think about it. Especially not right now after the most amazing sex of his life. Nathan had never in his life shared his secret fantasy of giving in, giving up all control to a lover. Yet in one shared glance, Jack Carter had known what he wanted, and made it real. The man was frighteningly perceptive, far more complex than the simpleton Nathan had once thought him. In a town full of brilliant minds, Carter was the one who had seen the deepest, most hidden part of him, and instead of judging, embraced it.

By the time he reached Cafe Diem, he knew two things. He wanted Jack in his life, as partner and friend and lover; he wanted so much more than sex from this man.

And he wanted more sex with him, much more, and the sooner the better.

 

Lukas and Pilar looked at Zoe, and then at each other. Without a word, they each took one of her hands and headed for Pilar's house. Pilar repressed her inner smirk, because Zoe was her best friend, and a best friend's parental-sex-life-related freakout was something to be treated with respect.

She hoped Zoe could get over it, because personally, Pilar found it kind of cute. For old guys, the sheriff and Dr. Stark were both pretty hot, and Zoe had plenty of gay friends at school, so it wasn't like she was homophobic or anything. Of course, Dr. Stark was a little scary, but Zoe's dad carried a gun, so they were pretty much even on that score.

"My father and Dr. Stark had sex." Zoe's voice was calm, but she didn't sound quite like herself. "Can I just pretend that never happened?"

"You could," said Pilar thoughtfully. "That is one of your options. Might be a whole lot easier than talking about it."

"Whatever you decide," Lukas said, putting an arm around her. "If it never happened, we didn't see it either, right, Pilar?" They reached Pilar's front porch and sat on the steps. "And that way, Sheriff Carter won't have to shoot me."

"Good point." Pilar replied. "Probably safer for everybody. And besides, maybe they'll never do it again. Maybe it was like that plant thing that made everybody do crazy stuff, but only your dad and Dr. Stark were affected."

Zoe looked at her. "What if it's not? What if they're..." Her eyes were wide and panicky.

"Like, actual boyfriends?" Pilar said. "Um, SARAH has soundproofing, right?" Zoe gave her a look that rivaled Dr. Stark's.

"It'll be all right, Zo," Lukas said comfortingly. He wasn't at all sure it would, but it seemed like the sort of thing a good boyfriend would say.

"Look at it this way," Pilar said. "That would probably be worse for Dr. Blake than it would for you."

 

Jack scanned the office, looking for any evidence he had missed. Nope, nothing indicated that he'd just had the hottest, not to mention the most surprising, sex of his life.

Still, when he thought about it, it made sense. Nathan Stark wasn't the first powerful man to have this kink. Being in charge all the time was exhausting, and letting someone else be in control was an amazing release, or so he'd been told. A cold beer or two and a ball game was usually enough to help Jack let go of stress, but in many ways Nathan was the most tightly wound person he had ever met. Also the most complex, and fascinating, and arousing. There was a lot more to Stark than an enormous brain and a hot body, and he wanted to understand him.

But first, he wanted to screw him into the mattress.

 

Jack had a hard time waiting the requisite fifteen minutes to leave for Cafe Diem. So far, his relationship with Nathan had been largely about sex--really, really good sex. After tonight, however, Jack suspected that things had changed. The level of trust Nathan had shown him suggested that they had turned a corner.

He passed Allison on the way in, and she looked at him with an expression Jack couldn't read. "Carter."

"Hey, Allison." Jack hoped that his previous activities weren't too obvious. "How has your evening been?"

"Just fine," she replied. "Meeting someone?"

"Uh," Jack fumbled. "You know. I'm on call tonight, so I thought..." He trailed off, making a vague motion to the interior.

Allison nodded, and Jack had seen the same expression on her face when she was trying to figure out a complex problem. "Of course. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure." Relieved to have gotten off so easily, Jack entered Cafe Diem. Nathan was already there, a glass of wine in front of him. He was fooling around with his PDA, and Jack tried not to let his gaze linger too long on the other man. "What have you got tonight, Vince?"

"How does a gyro sound, Sheriff?" Vincent asked hopefully, just in case Jack might, for once actually have something other than his usual cheeseburger.

Jack gave it some consideration, his eyes drawn back to Nathan, who had a smirk on his face. "Yeah, sure," he said, suddenly distracted.

He really had to stop this; if he didn't stop staring at Nathan, they wouldn't be able to hide their relationship for much longer.

 

Allison couldn't help herself; she paused just outside the large window. She'd seen Nathan enter with his hair mussed and tie loose, and now Jack had arrived at Cafe Diem looking a little flustered.

Nathan still sat, sipping his glass of wine occasionally while he answered emails on his PDA. For a moment, Allison was certain she'd been imagining things, but then Jack slid into the seat across from Nathan. Allison couldn't see Nathan's expression, but Jack grinned broadly, and Allison's suspicions were aroused again.

 

“Sheriff Carter,” Nathan said, raising an eyebrow as Jack sat down at his table. “No emergencies tonight?”

Jack grinned. “Nah, I’ve got everything under control.” Nathan tried to keep the smirk off his face at that.

“One gyro for the sheriff,” Vince announced. “Want a beer with that?”

“No thanks, I’m still on call.” Carter gave his usual wide smile, but Vince hadn’t missed his awkward little moment with Allison. Stark was once again absorbed in his PDA and Vince kept his eye on them from behind the counter. He tended to watch them whenever they were in the café in any case, just because they were both pretty damn hot. Stark was always perfectly groomed, but here he was, his tie undone, his hair slightly unkempt, and his posture relaxed and loose. He didn’t even seem annoyed when Carter joined him, his usual ‘do not approach’ vibe oddly absent. Something was definitely up with those two.

Jack swallowed a bite of his gyro and spoke quietly. “You surprised me tonight.”

Nathan looked up. “Surprised myself,” he admitted in a low tone. “Vince is watching us, you know.”

“You’d better insult my intelligence pretty soon, or he might start thinking we like each other,” Jack replied with a grin. His phone rang, and suddenly he was all business. “Carter here. Hey, Zoe. Why didn’t you….oh.”

Nathan tensed, wondering just what Zoe was saying to her father. Jack’s face didn’t show any alarm, only the usual softness that entered his face when he talked about his daughter.

“Guess I forgot to charge it again….Uh huh….Tonight? Yeah, sure, why not. Homework done?....You got everything you need for tomorrow, or you want me to run you by the bunker?....okay, stay out of trouble and I’ll see you tomorrow….love you. Bye.” He clicked the phone closed. “Zo’s staying at Pilar’s tonight,” he told Nathan, raising an eyebrow in clear invitation.

Nathan didn’t smile, and Jack’s smirk faded. “I saw Zoe and Pilar earlier,” he said, expression belying his casual tone. “With Lukas. And they saw me.” Jack leaned back, his eyes suddenly worried. Nathan rose, tucking his PDA into his pocket. “Enjoy your dinner, Carter. See you later.”

Vince brought a glass of water, with its usual twist of lemon and mint sprig, to the table. “Thought you might want something to wash down that gyro. How’d you like it?”

“Very tasty, Vince. Not a cheeseburger, but a guy needs a little variety once in a while, right?”

Vincent smirked. “Can’t argue with that.”

 

Zoe had just about convinced herself that she'd been imagining things by the next afternoon, or at least, that Dr. Stark could easily have been at the sheriff's station fighting with her father. She'd never seen her dad and Dr. Stark when they weren't at odds, after all.

That was why she was able to act completely nonchalant when she saw Dr. Stark come into Cafe Diem the next day for a late lunch.

"What can I get you, Dr. Stark?" she asked cheerfully.

He smiled at her, but appeared distracted. "Anything good today?"

"Vincent's got an amazing vegetarian chili," she responded.

"Sounds good." He glanced at the door, and Zoe raised her eyebrows as her dad walked in.

There wasn't anything weird about her dad coming over to greet her, and it was natural that he would say hello to Dr. Stark, too, because he was sitting right there.

"Stark. Blow anything up today?"

The jibe was so typically her dad, that Zoe decided to remove herself before they started fighting for real.

"Your dad and Dr. Stark seem to be getting along better these days," Vincent observed when she gave him Stark's order.

Zoe glanced at the table, somehow not surprised to see her dad seated across from Stark, both men leaning forward, clearly involved in an intense conversation.

"Yeah, something like that."

With this further evidence, Zoe's suspicions that there was more than just fighting going on rose again, along with the corresponding freak-out.

 

“Beer me, SARAH.” Jack sat back on the sofa and drank, considering the previous night. He had already thought, quite extensively, about the latest twist to what had been a no-strings, not-quite-friends with benefits relationship.

But it was their conversation that was on his mind now.

He had gone home, unsure if Nathan would show up, although it had become his habit on nights Zoe wasn’t home. Nathan probably needed time to think, and he did too.

It could have gone either way, he mused, after an encounter as intense as the one they had shared. Nathan Stark would either back off, retreating into his self-protective shell of arrogant superiority, or he might just relax into trusting Jack, and not only sexually. Jack had known which one he wanted, as images of Nathan bound to the cell door, naked and erect, rushed through his mind again, followed by memories previous encounters, some urgent and rough, others leisurely, tender explorations. He was half-hard again, remembering their talk after Nathan’s arrival at the bunker the evening before.

 _“Dr. Stark is at the door, Sheriff Carter.”_

 _“Let him in.” A moment later, they were in each other’s arms, Nathan bending his head into a deep, slow kiss, his mouth flavored with expensive scotch._

 _Then Nathan stepped back, and though one hand still caressed Jack’s cheek, the green eyes were serious. “We have to talk,” Nathan said._

 _Jack’s stomach twisted uneasily. In his life, that particular sentence had never led to anything good._

 _Nathan looked as uncomfortable as Jack suddenly felt. “There are some things I have to explain,” he said. Jack nodded slowly, sure that he had pushed things too far, too fast, and Nathan was going to run away. He picked up his beer and drained it, then sat, not meeting Nathan’s eye._

 _“SARAH, one beer, one scotch, privacy mode.” Nathan ordered. He retrieved the drink and set the beer in front of Jack, who accepted it wordlessly. Nathan took in a long breath and let it out, then sat on the couch beside him and began to speak._

 _“Jack, what we did tonight was something I’ve thought about for a long time. But it was never more than a fantasy. I never told…I never trusted anyone with that.” His voice was quiet._

 _Jack was surprised by the admission. “You trusted me,” he responded, putting a reassuring hand on Nathan’s knee. Nathan looked up, their eyes meeting._

 _“That’s not what I do,” he went on. “That’s what really went wrong with Allison. I never let her in, and she finally got sick of it.” He drained the rest of the scotch, then smiled._

 _“But you…it shocked me, how easy it was with you. I felt…safe. Scared me a little, if you want to know the truth.” Nathan looked down, staring into his glass of scotch as if it could tell him what to do next. Jack moved closer, leaning in to place a kiss on the other man’s forehead._

 _“What are you afraid of?” he asked softly._

 _“Everything,” came the whispered reply. “How much I want from you. Being known. Being honest, for once in my damn life.”_

 _Jack waited. Nathan was struggling with something, fully clothed and yet more naked than Jack had ever seen him._

v _His voice was ragged. “Tonight, I realized I want more than sex, Jack. I want us to be—”_

 _“More,” murmured Jack. “Would it help if I said I was thinking the same thing?” Their mouths met, lips and tongues saying things they could not put into works, fear dissolving into relief, relief into a rush of desire._

 _The kisses went on, passionate and gentle at once, and by the time Jack raised his head for a breath, he was lying on top of Nathan, the other man’s hands under his shirt, caressing his back. “Let’s go upstairs,” he murmured._

 _They undressed one another slowly, punctuating their movements with light, affectionate kisses. Both were aroused, but the intense need that had fueled their encounter at the office was tempered, and the mood was gentle. Something had changed, and both men wanted to physically show what neither had yet found words for. Naked, they lay side by side, touching and caressing, giving quiet, careful attention to one another’s bodies. When Nathan pulled Jack on top of him, their erections pressing together, Jack found himself wanting nothing more than to prolong the moment, the feeling between them, for as long as he could. Their eyes met, and held, emotion recognized and reflected and welcomed. With slow, deliberate movements, they brought each other to the brink of orgasm, letting the intensity build until it reached a place neither had ever been before, a place both men recognized as home. Jack closed his eyes first, his body convulsing with pleasure, and his movements pushed Nathan over the edge, Jack’s name on his lips._

 _For a while, neither man could move. Then Jack stretched, reaching for the tissues, and gently wiped their combined fluids away, and pulled the blanket up to cover them. Nathan lay his head on Jack’s chest, soothed by the rhythm of his heart._

Just one day, he mused. Two sexual encounters, two completely different kinds of sex, and now everything had changed. He wondered if he was falling in love.

The surprising thing was how much that idea didn’t scare him.

 

“Something is up with him,” Zoe announced. Day three after she’d seen Dr. Stark emerge from the station after doing who-knew-what. “My dad is definitely acting weird.”

Pilar glanced up from her history text; they had three exams this week, and they were both studying every waking moment. “Weird, how?”

“He’s distracted,” Zoe replied, doodling in the margins of her tablet. “And he keeps staring off into space with this grin on his face. Plus, he keeps showing up at the café at the same time as Dr. Stark, and they always sit with each other now.”

Pilar tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. “So, they’re dating?”

Zoe opened her mouth to contest the idea, then stopped, blinking. If her dad and Dr. Stark were high school students, all of those things would definitely be signs of them dating. “Oh, shit. They are. They’re dating.”

Pilar shrugged. “Come on, Zoe. It’s not that bad, is it? I mean, you’ve been complaining for ages about your dad being in love with Dr. Blake, and not doing anything about it.” Zoe started to argue, but Pilar cut her off ruthlessly. “And, you said just last week that your dad would be a lot less interested in your love life if he had one of his own.”

Zoe had said exactly that, and she found herself unable to refute Pilar’s argument. “Fair point, but it’s weird. Dad and Dr. Stark have hated each other for years, and now all of a sudden they’re buddies.”

“There’s a thin line between love and hate,” Pilar replied wisely. “Now, are we going to study for the history test, or are you going to freak out some more about your dad?”

Zoe sighed. “One more hour. I promised Dad I’d be home for dinner tonight.”

 

The hour spent studying passed quickly, and Zoe headed home, determined to ask her father some very pointed questions. It was one thing if he wanted to keep his relationship a secret from Eureka, but as his daughter, she had the right to know.

Jack grinned when she walked through the door. “Hey, hope you’re hungry. SARAH said she was making your favorite.”

Zoe’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Jack cleared his throat, then began, “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Is this about the fact that you and Dr. Stark are dating?” Zoe asked.

Jack blinked, looking stunned. “How did you—”

“Please.” Zoe couldn’t help but enjoy his discomfort. She knew how much her dad enjoyed embarrassing her on occasion, and it was only fair that she turn the tables once in a while. “I saw him come out of the station, and you two have been eating together at Café Diem practically every day.”

“Not every day!” he protested. “And we’re not—okay, we’re dating, but…” Jack trailed off. “Are you okay with this?”

Zoe considered the question for a moment, and she couldn’t help but remember the smile her dad had been wearing for the last week. “Yeah, Dad. If he makes you happy, I’m happy.”

Jack let out a relieved sigh, his grin back in place. “Thanks, Zo. That’s a very mature response.”

Zoe shrugged. “I’m a very mature person.”

 

“Is it too late to get in on the pool, Vince?” Dr. Suenos leaned across the counter.

Vince raised an eyebrow. “Which one?”

“Carter and Stark, of course,” said Suenos, a little softer.

The pair in question were seated together in the back of the café. They weren’t touching, and yet their relaxed postures somehow conveyed a sense of intimacy. They still argued and made snarky remarks, Stark insulting Carter’s intelligence, Carter mocking back. But Vince wasn’t the only one to notice that their former hostility was absent.

“Sure, join the crowd,” said Vince, pulling a fat black notebook from under the counter. “They’ve had lunch together eight times in the last two weeks. Do they actually imagine they’re fooling anybody?” He made the entry, and replaced the book. “So, you want a Vinspresso while you’re here?”

“Why not,” Suenos said, settling in on a stool.

Vince made the coffee, trying not to stare. He’d had a crush on Paul Suenos for a while, and just a month ago the grapevine had informed him that the scientist’s divorce was final. If only he wasn’t straight…Carter waved to him as he left the café, and Vince smiled back absently, then looked over at Nathan Stark. If that wasn’t a lovestruck smile, he’d never seen one.

He set the coffee in front of Suenos, who smiled at him. “Yeah, those two…I figured you would have closed the betting by now. What are you waiting for?”

Vince smirked. “I’m holding out for a public kiss.” Which would be amazingly hot, he thought, hoping he’d be there when it happened.

Suenos grinned. “Now, that would be a sight to see.” Vince gave him a frankly appraising glance, and then his flirtiest smile. For years, neither Stark nor Carter had registered on his gaydar at all, so he supposed anything was possible.

Behind him, he heard a snort of half-suppressed laughter. He turned to see Zoe, rolling her eyes. She looked past him to where Stark was slouching in his chair. He was seemingly engrossed in the pad he was reading, but still had a small, dreamy smile on his lips. “Go for it, Vince,” she said quietly. “Everybody else has." Her eyes flicked to Dr. Suenos. "If you'd let me bet, I'd tell you to start another pool," she continued.

Vince met her eyes. "You, young lady, are growing up way too fast."

“Yeah, that’s what my dad says.”

 

Jack glanced up from the pile of paperwork in front of him to see Nathan standing in front of his desk. “Hey.” The take-out bag in Nathan’s hand caused Jack to grin. “You brought food.”

“I thought you might need a break,” Nathan replied, setting the bag down on Jack’s desk. “Maybe you could take a long lunch.”

The suggestive tone told Jack exactly what Nathan wanted to do over their shared lunch hour, and he was tempted as hell. The problem was that they’d had a deal, and Jack suspected that Nathan hadn’t fulfilled his end of the bargain.

“Have you told Allison?”

Nathan’s carefully blank look told Jack everything he needed to know. “Not yet,” Nathan admitted.

“Then we’ll have to keep the lunch short and to the office,” Jack said firmly. “You know the deal.”

Nathan’s green eyes narrowed. “You extracted that promise while I was under duress.”

Jack smirked. “And you enjoyed every minute. That was the deal, Nathan—I tell Zoe, you tell Allison, and then we let the rest of the town know.”

Nathan was nearly pouting now, and Jack hid a grin. As much as he’d love to spend his lunch hour making Nathan beg, Jack wasn’t about to let his lover off the hook. If he gave in now, Nathan would never get around to telling Allison, and then they’d end up sneaking around forever.

“You’re enjoying this,” Nathan accused after a moment.

Jack shrugged. “Actually, this whole ‘no sex’ thing getting old fast. I’d suggest you tell Allison sooner, rather than later.”

 

There were moments when Nathan missed the big glass office that overlooked the Global Dynamics lobby. This wasn’t one of them. The small office adjacent to his lab space didn’t have that exposed feeling, and right now his nerves were a little raw.

He steepled his fingers, staring into space. He had opened the most hidden places of his soul to Jack, revealed his most closely-kept secrets, and it had been almost easy. Why was he so nervous about telling Allison one simple fact?

Maybe because they had so much history, so many old patterns. He had come into her life at a difficult time, just after Kevin’s diagnosis, and he had wanted to protect her. His focus had been on taking care of her, making her happy, and when she’d outgrown the need for that, rediscovering the strong, capable woman she had been before grief had taken its toll, he hadn’t known what to do. He had grown used to keeping things to himself, managing things for both of them, and he was honestly shocked when she accused him of being condescending, secretive, and controlling. Naturally, he’d gotten defensive, withdrawn from her, and taken the job in D.C.

Eventually, he had figured it out, and come back to Eureka hoping for another chance. But it was too late, and when Allison didn’t seem interested in reconciling, he’d acted like a jealous asshole, especially when she flirted with the hot new guy in town.

The hot new guy who was now his boyfriend. That was very…Eureka.

There was a quick rap on the door and Alison walked in, clearly in her all-business mode. “Hello, Nathan.” She sat down, smoothing the skirt of her well-cut gray suit. “Enough mystery. You said important and confidential, and that worried me enough to rearrange my morning schedule to fit you in. What’s up?”

Her beauty, as ever, caught at his heart. “Relax, Allison. Nothing’s about to blow up. It’s…more personal than professional.”

She gave him a pointed look. “You couldn’t have mentioned that? Fargo’s going to sulk at me all day.”

“Fargo,” Nathan snorted. “He’s your assistant, Ally. He doesn’t need to be happy about it, he just has to do what you tell him.”

“Not here to learn how to manage my employees, thank you. Stop stalling.” Nathan shook his head. Old patterns again. For all his IQ points, he was a damned slow learner sometimes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell you what to do. I know you hate that.” Her face softened, and he straightened in his chair and continued. “I wanted you to hear it from me first. I’m…seeing someone.” Her face didn’t change. “It’s Jack.”

She shook her head slowly back and forth, her hair hiding her expression. “Oh, Nathan,” she said. “Thanks for telling me. I’m not really surprised, but it was nice of you to tell me yourself.”

“You’re not surprised?” Nathan stared at her blankly, and she gave him a wry smile.

“I have eyes.” She paused. “Don’t you think I know what you look like when you’re in love?”

The room was silent for a moment. “Allison. I never wanted to hurt you.” He didn’t want to lose the fragile friendship they had built on the ruins of their marriage. She would always be on the short list of people he loved.

Allison let out a short laugh. “I’ll give you that much, Nathan. You never hurt me on purpose.” He winced. “I used to think that Jack and I…that there was a possibility of something. Now at least I understand why it never happened.” She looked around the small, utilitarian office. This wasn’t the Nathan she had married. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

“I’m sorry, Ally. For all the times I hurt you without meaning to.” She looked at him, and his eyes were pleading. She stood, and walked around the side of the desk, taking his face between her hands.”

“Just do one thing for me, Nathan.” He nodded. “Don’t fuck this up. Don’t make the same mistakes all over again. Don’t hurt him. He’s a good man.”

“I’m going to try, Ally.” He said it softly. “I hope I’ve learned from my mistakes.” She lay a quick kiss on his forehead, then turned away.

“Good luck,” she said, not facing him. He watched her walk out the door, slender and lovely, and wished that someday someone would love her the way she deserved to be loved.

But he had Jack now. Maybe this time, he could get it right.


End file.
